Bel Esprit’s Belflyer Wins Kosciuszko

Tara Madgwick - Monday October 15
Black Caviar's sire Bel Esprit is back in Victoria this spring for Sun Stud and is riding high thanks to his talented seven year-old Belflyer, who scored a surprise win in the inaugural $1,300,000 Kosciuszko at Randwick last Saturday.

BelflyerThe John Shelton trained gelding has been a tough and consistent campaigner over a number of seasons and was second earlier this year in the Listed Ramornie Handicap at Grafton.

He charged home from back in the field to win the lucrative 1200 metre sprint by half a length taking his overall record to 13 wins from 55 starts with earnings just shy of $1million.

"This is my biggest win by far," Shelton said.

"I've won the Ramornie and several races in town, not enough mind you, but this beats everything.

"I had confidence he would handle the ground and this is great.

"I love this horse. He's a special horse. For Adam (Hyeronimus) to win on him was a really big bonus because he was apprenticed to me and we've remained really true friends."

Belflyer is a half-brother to Champion 3YO Flying Artie and is the next best winner from good producing Group III winner Flying Ruby.

Belflyer was the 30th winner this season for Bel Esprit, who is now running 13th on the Australian General Sires List by earnings.



An 8-time Champion Victorian sire, Bel Esprit is currently the leading sire in the state this season and stands at a fee of $11,000 this spring.


Advertisment
More Reading...
Second Stakes for Bel Esprit's Tactical Advantage
If Australian Bloodstock was disappointed with the performance of their colour-bearer Mustajeer (GB) in the Melbourne Cup it didn’t take long to bounce back with the Bel Esprit gelding Tactical Advantage breaking a run of outs in the Listed MSS Security Sprint (1200m) at Flemington.
Mixed Fortuned for Aussie Connected Sprinters
There were two important sprint races run overnight in the UK and Ireland and both had key runners with strong Australian interest in Zoustar mare Mgheera and the former Waterhouse  Bott trained colt Storm Boy.
Sires With Winners - Saturday May 24
Here is the full list of 102 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Listed Chief De Beers Stakes To Manhood
Surprisingly contesting black type racing for the first time in his career, it was first time lucky for the Annabel and Rob Archibald trained Manhood after the 6yo son of Headwater was strong to the line, leading throughout to win the Listed Chief De Beers Stakes (1110m).
Twenty-Sixth Stakes Winner for Bel Esprit
The 5-year-old Bel Esprit mare Belwazi made her first stakes attempt a winning one in Saturday’s Listed Kensington Stakes at Flemington and in the process provided a welcome to Victoria for the champion South Australian jockey Jamie Kah.
A Victory for the Locals in Seymour Cup
The Japanese-breds have been having the time of their lives in Australia of late so when Damian Lane drove A Shin Rook (JPN) through on the rails in Sunday’s $200,000 Listed Seymour Cup (1600m0 it looked a matter of here we go again but this one was destined to be a local victory.
Flashy Grey Kingman Colt Wins Irish 2,000 Guineas
Juddmonte Farms have been firing through spring of the euro flat season and they produced the quinella overnight at The Curragh with Kingman colts finishing one and two in the Group I Irish 2,000 Guineas (1m) and leading the way was Field of Gold, who was purchased as a weanling  for €530,000.
NZ Oaks Winner Strikes Form in Australia for Yulong
Last year’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Pulchritudinous landed her first blow across the Tasman with a gritty victory in the Gr.3 Magic Millions Fillies & Mares Mile (1600m) at Doomben on Saturday for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
G1 Stradbroke Next for War Machine
Hot favourite War Machine made light work of his rivals in the Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday and it is now all systems go as the four-year-old son of Harry Angel (IRE) heads towards the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 14.  
Almanzor Keeps Winners Coming for Moody- Coleman
The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Roadcone led his rivals a merry dance when winning the Stow Storage Solutions Handicap (1600m) at Sandown on Saturday, bringing up a treble for the stable and jockey Luke Cartwright.